Originally Posted by
Agrion:
“Hi All
Apologies for going back to earlier posts, but I've been thinking about the 'gurning' or overacting thing, and I have to confess I still don't understand why they do it. I know most of the dance I watch nowadays is contemporary (where you don't use much facial expression, you tell the story with your body), so I went back and looked at some classical ballet, to see if the exaggerated expressions used there looked as odd as the ballroom ones. In fact they don't, as a lot of the story originally was told in mime, and most of the time you can't see the face from the back of the theatre anyway.
Here's a clip from Giselle with Baryshnikov and Alessandra Ferri in gurn mode classical ballet style
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOAFsU2kWPw
You really don't need to overact to hold an audience. I saw Baryshnikov dance several times in his later career with the White Oak, and he could hold an audience enthralled with the slightest gesture, even without the gymnastics he could do in his youth. And he's really short, as well, which makes it harder to look impressive.
Here is a clip of him, in his late 50's, dancing to his own heartbeat (warning, if you don't like modern dance this will drive you crazy!). Its semi improvised, in front of a live audience, they are enthralled, and not a gurn in sight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAVwr-BwGCk
So why do the ballroom couples do it? It puts me off watching them, even a really elegant dancer like Aliaz. Maybe its just because that's what is expected, and they get told if they don't do it, they won't win. A very stylised form of dance. Jay didn't do it, and was all the more impressive to me because of that. He can hold an audience naturally, without artifice.
Incidentally, I didn't think the Strictly Prom worked on TV either, which is a shame as they did a dance one a couple of years ago, which was great. Mind you, the camera angle made all the dancers look short, and it was right up the girl's knickers when they were lifted....it could easily have been a lot better!”
Saw White Oak live - it was great stuff.
That stage for Giselle looks incredibly tiny, especially as it's filled up with the corps de ballet - he can't stretch out for a series of major leaps, only one or two, so for me it looks a bit constricted and less flowing. Nevertheless, everything he does is gorgeous - also gifted with incredible balance - spins like a top in the air or grounded. Ferri also a very lovely dancer.
I have a DVD of Baryshnikov at Wolftrap shortly after he defected to the US. You can hear the audience gasps at his dancing. He was very versatile too - he could inject a lot of humour into his dancing.
Back on topic - where is the Radio Times link? I can't find it.
